smartphone twitter coronavirus
For illustrative purposes only. Image Credit: Nathaniel Lacsina/Gulf News

Dubai: The UAE’s Ministry of Health and Prevention (MoHAP) quickly responded to a tweet for help from the daughter of a coronavirus patient on Tuesday by sending an ambulance to her address.

Sudanese expat Susan Adil, living in Sharjah, tweeted, “My mother is 56-years-old and infected with COVID-19, but until now no serious action has been taken to start any type of treatment for her, though we have informed about her case several times… we have a 20-month-old baby at home… any response?”

Within half an hour MoHAP tweeted back tagging Adil, asking for her number.

NAT TWEET MOH-1588167961185
Tweets between the patient and the Ministry of Health Image Credit: Supplied

Adil told Gulf News, “I already got a call from the ministry, saying they will take her today. The doctor was really nice, apologised for the delay and will be doing the needful.”

Adil went on to explain that her mother fell sick and reported her condition on April 20, but doctors insisted it was just flu. However, when her condition persisted she went back for a test and was found positive.

Tweets between the patient's daughter and the Ministry of Health
The patient's daughter later thanked officials for their speedy reaction Image Credit: Supplied

“We were all worried because she has diabetes and other issues,” said Adil, who later tweeted her thanks to MoHAP.

“Thank you very much Dr Shama Abdullah Al Baqish, for attention, follow-up of the situation and great support. Thanks to everyone who made an effort to help us cross this crisis… Thank you Ministry of Health because you hear us through all channels, we are sure it is a temporary crisis and God will eliminate this scourge soon!”

Adil added that she was espically indebted to a call centre person at MOHAP - Omer Hafiz Mustafa who was very patient and helped her througout, putting her mother on the priority list, guiding her to download the Al Hosn app that gave her the result of her mother’s swab test and helping her reach out to the right people in the health ministry.